Animated toy



June 4, 1946. A. L. BRESCH 2,401,455

ANIMATED TOY Filed Sept. 20, 1945 FIGS.

Jim/sure)? ALBERT L. BRESCH Patented June 4, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,401,456 ANIMATED- TOY Albert L. Bresch, University City, Mo.

Application September 20, 1945, Serial No. 517,652

10 Claims. 1

This invention relates generally to toys. More particularly, my invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement in toys of animated musical type and has for its primary object the provision of a toy of the type stated, which is simple and inexpensive in structure, which is conveniently and easily operable, and which is so constructed for the production of various amusing combined visual and sound efiects.

.And with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an animated musical toy constructed in accordance with and embodying my present invention;

Figures 2 and 3 are sectional elevational views of the toy, taken approximately along the'lines' 22 and 3-3, respectively, of Figure 1, showing the figure of the toy in different positions of animation; and 7 Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7 are detail elevational views of some of the particular figure-forming elements or members of the toy in disassembled relation.

Referrin now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawing, which illustrates apreferred embodiment of my present invention, the toy includes a musical member A preferably, as shown, of plunger-whistle type, which comprises a suitably elongated cylindrical or tubular shell 1 partially cut away and provided at one end with a mouth-piece 2 of conventional design, the shell I being formed with a conventional note-emitting aperture 3 and being fitted at its other end with a tight fitting end-plugA having an axially extending aperture or'bore 5. Disposed for longitudinal shiftable movement rela-v tively to the shell I and through the bore 5 of plug 4, is a plunger-rod 6 transversely provided at its inwardly presented end with a plunger p diametrically sized for snug fitting slidable engagement with the inner face of the wall of shell I.

The plunger-rid 6 is also suitably elongated and intermediate its ends is right angularly bent, as at a, to include a downwardly presented portion b and is then doubled upon itself, as at c,

to project upwardly partially, as at d, in parallel abutting relation to the portion b in the formation therewith of a rod actuating hand or fingergrip 6', the rod 6 being then continued upwardly in the provision of a support 6", upon the upper;

2 end of which is mounted for animation the particular figure B of the toy.

Such figure B may be of any suitable contour and configuration, the figure B, in the present instance, being in representation or simulation of an acrobat or clown, commonly designated a jumping-jack, which is built up of and comprises a pair of similarly shaped companion front and rear body-elements in the form of plates 1, 1',

respectively, each marginally providedwith slots 8 and with outwardly presented tabs 9 having teats ID, the tabs 9 of front section I being bent rearwardly to engage the front face of rear section I and the teats l0 thereof projected through the slot 8 of, and clinched upon, the rear section 1', and'the tabs 9 of rear section 1' being bent forwardly in overlapping relation upon the front section tabs 9 to engage the rear face of front section 'I and the teats Ill thereof projected through the slots 8 of, and clinched upon, the front section I for firmly securing the body-elements '1, 1', together in spaced registering relation. As shown, the rear body section 1' is fixed I in upstanding relation upon the upper end of in its upper or thigh-portion with a suitably dis-' posed slot H.

Similarly mounted on cross'or transverse pins [5 for free swinging movementintermediate the upper'portion of the body-sections I, I, is a pair of oppositely disposed companion arm-simula tive members l6, which are likewise disposed in overlapping relation at their inner or shoulderends and each being provided at its said upper or shoulder-end with a longitudinal slot H, the

figure B being completed by a head-simulative member l8 pivotally, as by a cross or transverse pin l9, joined to the body-section l, at the upper or neck end thereof and having a downwardly presented neck-extension 20 provided with a somewhat obliquely extending slot 2 l. Extending axially upwardly intermediate the body-elements I, I, is an actuator in the form preferably of a a fiat strip 22 provided with a first transversely disposed pin 23, which operatively works in the slots I4 of the overlapping thigh-portions of the leg-simulative members I3 and with a second transversely disposed pin 24 which similarly works not only in the slots ll of the overlapping shoulder-portions of the arm-simulative members I6, but also in the slot 2| of the head-simulative member I 8, all as best seen in Figures 2 and 3. g

It will hencegbe evident that l3, arms l6 and head N3 of the figur B will "bob or swing sidewise and upwardly to the respective positions shown in Figure 2, andthat as the actuator strip 22 is endwise moved upwardly, the legs I3, arms l6, and head 18 of the figure B will bob or swing in the opposite direction to the respective positions shown in Figure 3.

For effecting such relative swinging movements, the actuator strip 22-has ator adjacent its lower end a somewhat-fiexiblepivoted connection, as at 25, with the outeror free end of an angularly deflected spring or resilient rod 26, which is projected forwardly and suitably fixed or attached at its forward end, as at .21,.to and adjacent the forward end of the plunger-rod 6, the rod 26 being arranged-for slidably engaging along itsupper face and intermediate its ends the upper guiding margin or .rimjof the aperture 5 in the end-plug 4 of shelll.

By reference to Figure. 1, itwill be seen that, when the plunger-rodfi-isshifted by means of the finger-grip B rearwardly or outwardly from the shell I tothe position thereof. shown 'in full lines, the spring-rod 26 will -'-be disposed 'atlits position of greatest a11gularity.'away;-from the rod 6, thereby forcing the figure-actuator strip 22 upwardly. As theplunger-rod: 6 is. shifted reversely or inwardly into the shell ,l,. the rod 26 will bear at its upper face against thewallof the end-plug aperture 5, therod 26 being thereby forced downwardly towardthe-plunger-rod 6 to the position thereof shownin dotted-lines in Figure ,1, and. accordingly moving the actuator strip 22 downwardly. to effect the. described rela tive movements of theseveraljointed elements of the particularfigure B., It will be evident in this connection that the longitudinal movement of the plunger 6 within the shell I will vary the pitch of the note emitted thereby and, therefore, following a little practice, aperson operating the toy may play simple tunes by sliding the plunger 6 inwardly and outwardly to varied :positions, such movements of the plunger 6 simultaneously producing movements of or-,animating the;fig-

ure B with a highly amusing and entertaining effect. j V The several elements of the figure B maybe suitably colored andembellished in furtherance of the particular simulation, and it should, of

'1. Ananimated toy comprising 'a movable V ream; strip 22 is endwise nioved downwardly, the legs" member, in combination with a figure mounted on and bodily movable with said member, said figure including a body portion and head-simulative swingable element having an angularly 5 slotted neck extension, and means for swinging said element responsive to movement of said member, said means including a strip having a pin working in said slot for producing controlled sidewise swinging movement of the head-simula- 10 tive element and a third member having connection at an end to the movable member and pivotally attached at its other end to the strip. 2. An animated toy comprising, in combina- 5131011, an elongated tubular shell, an axially aperls tu red plug fixed within the shell, a first rod 'movable longitudinally through the aperture of the plug, a figure mounted on and bodily movablewith said rod, said figure including a plurality of'relatively swingable elements some of which are disposed in endwise overlapping pair relation, and means for relatively swinging said elements in unison responsive to longitudinal movement of said rod, said means including a strip having slot-and-pinconnection with all said elements, and a second rod. having connection at an end with the first rod and pivotally attached at its other end to the strip, said second rod having a bearing actuating sliding engagement intermediate its ends with the wall of th an: aperture ofthe plug.

3. A toy comprising, in combination, a, whistle having a pitch-varying plunger and an apertured end-plug said plunger being provided with an actuating rod extending shiftably through the end-plug aperture, an animated figure mounted on the outer end of the plunger, and means including a resilient rod fixed at one end to theplunger-actuating rod and connected at its other end to the figur -for animated actuation thereof tresponsive to movement of the plunger.

4. An animated toy comprising, in combination,

an elongated tubular shell, an axially apertured' plug fixed within the shell at one end thereof, a whistle mouth piece formed at the other end of the shell, a first rod movable longitudinally through the aperture, a piston member mounted rigidly 0n the inner end of said rod for plungerwise engagement with the shell, a figure mounted on and bodily movable with said rod, said figure including a plurality of relatively swingable elements' in-the' formation of a jumping jack, actuatingmeans operatively connected to said swingable elements for producing movement thereof,

anda resilient rod rigidly connected to the first rod interiorly'of the shelland extending outwardly through the plug'aperture at an angle to the first rod, said resilientrod being opera,- tively connected at its outerend to the actuating means and further having sliding engagement ineo termediate itsends with the wall of the plug aperture for varying the angle between the resilient rod andthe first rod andthereby producing up and down motion of the actuating means responsive to axial'movement of the first rod and 5' the associated piston member with respect to the shell whereby the jumping jack will be bodily moved toward and away from the shell responsive to movement of the piston member and the swingable elements will simultaneously be ace tuated.

'5. An animated toy comprising a plungerwhistle having a mouth piece at one end and a. plunger handle extending axiallyv from the other:

7 end thereof, an animated figure mounted on the handle, and actuating means mounted at one end on the handle interiorly of the whistle and movable radially toward and away from the handle responsive to plunger-operating movement thereof, said actuating means being operatively connected at its other end to the figure for simultaneously producing bodily and animated movement thereof responsive to movement of the handle.

6. An animated toy comprising a plunger whistle having a mouth piece at one end and a plunger handle extending axially from the other end thereof, an animated figure mounted on the extended end of the handle, actuating means rigidly connected at one end to the handle and extending angularly outwardly therefrom and means on the whistle engageable with the actuating means for shifting said actuating means at its extended end toward and away from the handle responsive to plunger operating movement of the handle, said actuating means being at its extended end operatively connected to the figure for simultaneously producing animated and bodily movement thereof responsive to movement of the handle.

7. An animated toy comprising a plunger whistle having a shell provided with a manually shiftable plunger handle extending axiall outwardly therefrom, an animated figure mounted on the handle, and means mounted on the handle and operatively connected to the figure, said means being co-operably engageable with the shell for producing animated movement thereof responsive to plunger operating movement of the handle.

8. An animated toy comprising a plunger whistle having a shell provided with a shiftable plunger handle extending outwardly therefrom, an animated figure mounted on the handle, said figure including a body-portion and a plurality of limb-simulative members swingably mounted on the body-portion, and means mounted on the handle and operatively connected to the limbsimulatlve members, said means being co-operably engageable with said shell for producing animated movement thereof responsive to plunger-actuating movement of the handle.

9. An animated toy comprising a plunger whistle having a manually shiftable plunger handle extending outwardly therefrom, a movable figure mounted on the handle, actuating means mounted on the plunger handle interiorly of the whistle and extending outwardly from the whistle, being at its outer end operably connected to the movable figure, and means on the plunger whistle operatively engageabl with the actuating means for producing figure-motivating movement of the actuating means responsive to tone-varying movement of the plunger handle.

10. A plunger whistle having a mouth piece at one end and an elongated plunger handle extending axially outwardly at the other end, said handle at its outer extremity being bent in the form of a closed U-shaped loop having a projecting leg portion extending transversely across the handle in the formation of a T-end, an ammated figure mounted on the end of said projecting leg approximately at eye level when the whistle is held horizontally in the mouth of the user, a plurality of swingable arm and leg-simulative members pivotally mounted on the figure, an elongated link actuatingly connected to the arm and leg members and extending downwardly therefrom, and actuating means operatively connected at one end of the handle and at the other end to the link and being shiftable toward and away from the handle upon plunger-actuating reciprocation thereof for producing corresponding animated movement of the arm and leg members as the figure is bodily moved toward and away from the whistle.

ALBERT L. BRESCH. 

